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Neighborhood Revitalization

In 2006 the Lafayette Consolidated Government Planning Department convened a group of community residents, business owners, and church representatives to form the McComb-Veazey Planning Coterie. Over the next 7 years, the Coterie developed a revitalization plan for their neighborhood and began small-scale projects like planting trees, installing heritage signs and speed lumps as traffic calming measures, and commissioning public art projects by local artists.

One high-priority goal was the need for more new, owner-occupied housing, and in 2013 Lafayette Habitat for Humanity selected McV as a focus neighborhood. Habitat and the Coterie engaged residents to determine what type of housing development they wanted to see, and LHFH has now completed 35 new scattered-site infill homes, Including a 13-home pocket neighborhood subdivision, with more homes in the works.

In 2016 the Coterie was selected by the Kresge Foundation to receive a “Fresh, Local and Equitable” (FreshLo) planning grant, and subsequently received implementation grants to fund development of their 2-acre community farm as well as a series of “Cooking in the Hood” community gatherings demonstrating healthy cooking techniques. The neighborhood also completed the process of becoming a state-designated cultural district, opening new opportunities for local artists and businesses.

More recently, the Coterie has become an independent 501(c)(3) and is now the McComb-Veazey Community Development Corporation. The CDC has been steadily gaining momentum by engaging residents of all ages as well as community partners.

ENHANCING IMPACT

In 2016, McComb-Veazey was selected by the Kresge Foundation to receive a “Fresh, Local and Equitable” (FreshLo) planning grant, and subsequently received implementation grants to fund development of their 2-acre community farm as well as a series of “Cooking in the Hood” community gatherings demonstrating healthy cooking techniques. The neighborhood also completed the process of becoming a state-designated cultural district, opening new opportunities for local artists and businesses.

More recently, the McComb-Veazey has become an independent 501(c)(3) and is now the McComb-Veazey Community Development Corporation. The CDC has been steadily gaining momentum by engaging residents of all ages as well as community partners.

GLOBAL RECOGNITION

Lafayette Habitat for Humanity’s partnership with the McComb-Veazey Coterie not only makes an impact locally, but has gained global recognition from Habitat for Humanity International. Because of our initiatives, our affiliate has been highlighted by HFHI along with other affiliates from across the globe. You can find our feature on the HFHI website by clicking this link.
Also, take a look at Habitat for Humanity’s Neighborhood Revitalization in Action video here.

OUR COTERIE PARTNERS

Our long-term partnership with McComb-Veazey uniquely positions Lafayette Habitat to leverage experience and learnings to expand our support to all of Lafayette’s Coteries. As residents engage and take on more leadership, training is a critical component of providing the skills and knowledge needed to successfully achieve their goals. Lafayette Habitat provides and supports capacity building to the five Lafayette Coteries.

At LHFH, our partnerships do not stop at the closing table. We strive to improve the lives of our habitat homeowners throughout their involvement in their community and the neighborhoods they are choosing to call home. We have a mutually beneficial relationship with our Coterie partners, as they help us provide a sense of community and access to resources for our homeowners. As residents engage and take on more leadership, training is a critical component of providing the skills and knowledge needed to successfully achieve their goals. Lafayette habitat provides and supports capacity building to the five lafayette coteries.

COTERIE LINKS

APP – ADJUDICATED PROPERTY PILOT PROGRAM

The Adjudicated Property Pilot Program will leverage local blighted and adjudicated properties to strengthen our community with affordable, decent and equitable housing, and to improve health and economic outcomes of our residents.

McComb-Veazey CDC, Coterie and residents have always been concerned about our dwindling housing stock. Around 2011 we partnered with Habitat for Humanity to build new affordable housing units within our community. While Habitat made progress on building 40+ homes within the McComb-Veazey Coterie the community continued its housing conversation with the residents of the area and during the COVID shutdown, the McComb-Veazey CDC combined the efforts of its Housing and Business committees to create the Sustainable Development Committee with a charge of developing an equitable land use plan for the district that prioritize stopping displacement and preserving the communities culture and identity. They begin exploring how we could utilize adjudicated properties to build the types of developments the community needs to thrive and experience an enhanced Quality of life.

Issues to be addressed:

  • Housing shortage, lack of options
  • Limited access to affordable housing, affordable homeownership or new development on the Northside.
  • Wealth inequality of residents.
  • Repairing the community’s connection, rebuilding the community (The Village).

Annual MLK Day of Service

On January 21, 2023, we worked with 5 neighborhood coteries and 3 organizations to complete 13 projects across Lafayette’s Northside community in honor of National Day of Service. These projects ranged from corridor clean ups, garden bed installations and refreshing, to tree maintenance and installations. We were able to mobilize over 230 new volunteers into our neighborhood revitalization efforts.